Mechanism for operating flush-valves.



J. W. MEAKEB. I MECHANISM FOR OPERATING FLUSH VALVES.

1 ,O87,542, Patented Feb. 17, 1914. 6 4 4' I APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1913.

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JOHN W. MEAKI ER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING- FLUSH-VALVES.

Specification of, Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1'2, 1914..

Application filed July 22, 1913. Serial No. 780,579.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN W. MEAKER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of WVa'yne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Operating Flush-Valves, of

whioh the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to mechanism for operating flushing valves of water closet tanks or the like that includes means whereby the operating handle may be moved in either direction to effect the opening of the valve, and whereby a positive stop is provided to limit the throw of'the valve operating mechanism when the handle is moved in either direction.

Another object of the invention isa construction that not only enables the mecha nism to be mounted on a single opening of a tank but also accomplishes the result with a minimum number of parts so that the cost of construction is greatly lowered without affecting durability and ease of operation of the device.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a portion of a tank wall with a device applied thereto that embodies the invention, in initial or closed position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the mechanism in open valve position as effected by the movement of the handle in one way; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in open valve position as produced by the movement of the handle in the other way; Fig. A is a view, in section, on the line IV IV of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a view in transverse section showing a slight modification in the details of construction of the device; Fig. 6 is a view in section through the mechanism, taken on the line VIVI of Fig. 5, the portion of the tank wall being omitted.

As herein shown in preferred form, a wall 1 of a flush tank or the like is apertured to receive a sleeve 2 formed on a plate 3 whereby the latter may be held against the inner face of the wall as by a suitable clamping nut 4: on the external screwthreaded portion of the sleeve. Preferably the nut is of the cap or pedestal type formed of a polygonal stock bar with a base flange 5 thereon that is made by turning down the blank to the required size and then out bending the flange as indicated.

A valve operating lever 6 is pivotally secured at one end on the plate with its axis of motion coincident with the axis of a bearing opening through the sleeve 2. Conveniently, a boss 7 on the plate provides for the lever bearing. An operating shaft 8 is journaled in the sleeve opening. A handle 9 on the outer end thereof enables the shaft to be swung readily in either direc tion. A yoke 10 is non-rotatably secured on the inner end of the shaft over the lever 6 which it thereby holds in place. An inwardly extending portion 11 near one end of the yoke lies in the plane of the lever 6 on the underside thereof and another inwardly extending portion 12 also projects into the plane of the lever and of a link member 13. The latter is pivoted at its upper end to swing in an extension 1 1 of the plate 1 and is likewise pivoted at the other end to one end of a coupling member 15. The latter is pivoted at its lower end to the lever 6 at some distance from the fulcrum thereof. A depending portion 17 of the link 13 that is directly engaged by the projection 12 ofthe yoke 7, acts as a stop to limit the upward movement of the lever 6, the latter being provided with a shoulder 18 against which the part 17 abuts squarely when the handle 9 is moved to operate the lever in either direction.

A shaft 8 is formed of a'square or polygonal stock bar with its corners slightly rounded to rotate freely in the bore of the sleeve 2, portions of the corners being left intact to provide shoulders 20 that bear against the end face of the nut 4 as thrust faces. The bar is cut away to be bent readily to form the shank 21 of the handle 9.

-The bar is turned down to engage in the -handle opening and its end is transversely split so that the severed and spread arms 22'engage in the counterbored recess of the handle and lock the latter in position. A cotter pin 23 or like holding means eretains the yoke 7 and other parts in place. Preferably the yoke 7 is formed of sheet metal and the inturned end portions form the projections 11 and 12. The link member 13 is also preferably made of sheet metal with an inturned pivot 24; that extends through a bearing opening in the extension 14: of the plate and is split and spread to retain its position. Likewise the coupling 15 may be struck up of sheet metal with inbent, turned and split ends engaging suitable bearing openings in the link 13 and lever 6.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a slight modification of the construction is shown in which a plat-e 25 has a sleeve 26 that engages an opening in the wall 27 with a squared or polygonal portion 28 seated in a corresponding recess of the latter to prevent rotation of the plate. A bushing 29 inserted in the sleeve is secured by outwardly rolling its inner end to form a retaining rim 80. An operating le ver 31 is secured on the sleeve by a flange 32 on the inner end thereof. A squared or polygonal operating shaft 33 is secured to rotate in the bushing as in the other construction, the shoulders 34 of the intact edge portions acting as end thrusts bearing against a pedestal nut 36 that secures the plate in position. A reduced and bent portion 87 of the shaft constitutes a handle shank while a rounded portion 38 is preferably grooved or otherwise fitted so that a handle 39 may be cemented or otherwise se cured thereon. The other connections for operating the lever 31 are similar to those of the first described construction.

In operation movement of the handle 9 from its normal pendent position in the direction indicated in Fig. 2 causes the yoke to oscillate the link outwardly and thereby raise the lever through the cooperation of the coupling member until the shoulder of the lever abuts the link shoulder. Movement of the handle from initial or pendent position in the direction indicated in Fig. 3, causes the other extremity of the yoke that underlies the lever to raise the latter to the same position as that shown in Fig. 2, the coupling member swinging the link member around until the shoulder of the lever abuts the link and rests the lever positively as before. Thus movement of the handle through arcs of like extent in either direction produce a corresponding movement of the operating lever and effect the desired result.

Because of the simplicity of construction the device is cheaply and readily assembled and is not liable to derangement in use. It is readily mounted in a single opening of a tank so that it does not disfigure the latter and possibility of leakage is reduced to a minimum. The device is particularly effective for mounting on porcelain, metal or glass tanks and is quickly and easily adjusted thereon.

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not care to limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts except as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is l. Mechanism for operating flush valves comprising a plate adapted to be secured to the inside face of the tank wall in an open ing therethrough and provided with a hearing opening, an operating shaft journaled in the opening, a lever fulcrumed on the plate in substantially axial coincidence with the shaft, a link swinging from the plate, a coupling articulating the lever and link and a yoke on the shaft adapted to contact with and raise the lever when the shaft is turned in one direction and to contact with and operate the link to raise the lever when the shaft is turned in the opposite direction.

2. Mechanism for operating flush valves connarising a plate adapted to be secured to the inside face of a tank wall in an opening therethrough and provided with a hearing opening, an operating shaft journaled in the opening, a lever fulcrumed on the plate in substantially axial co-incidence with the shaft, a link swinging from the plate, a coupling articulating the lever and link and a yoke on the shaft adapted to contact with and raise the lever when the shaft is turned in one direction and to contact with and operate the link to raise the lever when the shaft is turned in the opposite direction, the link acting as a positive stop for the lever that limits its upward movement.

3. Mechanism for operating flushing valves comprising a plate adapted to be secured to the inside face of a tank wall in an opening therethrough, an operating shaft journaled in a bearing opening through the plate, an operating lever fulcruined on the plate on an axis substantially coincident with that of the shaft, a link pivoted at one end to the plate, a coupling member articulating the lever and other end portion of the link, and a yoke on the shaft adapted to contact with and raise the lever when the shaft is turned in one direction and to contact with and operate the link to raise the lever when the shaft is turned in the other direction, the link being adapted to arrest the lever at the limit of its upward movement.

4. Mechanism for operating flushing valves comprising a plate adapted to be secured on the inside face of a wall in an opening therethrough, a shaft journaled in a bearing opening through the plate, a lev the fulcrum thereof, a yoke secured on the the yoke and link, the link acting as a stop shaft as a retaining member for the lever that limits the throw of the lever. 10 and provided with inwardly extending por- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature tions that lie in the plane of the lever and in presence of two witnesses.

link whereby a movement of the shaft in one JOHN W. MEAKER. direction raises the lever by direct engage- Witnesses:

ment with the yoke and in the other direc- C. R. STIGKNEY,

tion raises the lever by the engagement of ANNA M. DORR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommiuioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

